Basal Laminae

Red staining material surrounding each tubule

Two basal laminae fused together is a basement membrane

Connective Tissue of Lip

Collagenous: (blue), coarse and shows faint longitudinal striation

Elastic: (black), less numerous and more delicate than collagenous fibers, appears homogenous

Fat Cells: occur between fibers

Reticular Fibers

Black staining, concentrated around central vein and extend b/w colmns

Reticular Fibers

Brown/black, observed in lymph node

Areolar Connective, Elastic Fibers

Thin, homogenous threads that branch and anastomose

Straight under tension, curled when relaxed

Elastic Fibers, Vein

Purplish brown

Concentrated in relation to lumen of vein as convoluted, complete internal elastic lamina

Appear as individual fibers in venous wall

Dense Connective Tissue, Fibroblasts

Fibroblasts: at arrows, appear fusiform and show pale nucleus, with distinct nucleolus and little cytoplasm

Embryonic Mesenchyme

Composed of irregularly spindle-shaped cells, spherical/ovoid nucleus with distinct nucleolus

Will not have to distinguish beween this and loose connective tissue of adult

Fat Cells

Cell to the left contains single droplet of fat (brown) surrounded by cytoplasm (blue) that contains distinct oval nucleus

Also shows a mast cell, from which some granules have escaped

Mast Cells

Mast Cells (M) lie w/in connective tissue between skeletal muscle fibers (large ovals), ovoid in shape and show large numbers of granules that stain dark purple, nuclei commonly masked by granules

Fibroblast (F) and Muscle Cell (Mus) also present 

Plasma Cells

Tall, columnar simple epithelium located next to loose areolar tissue

Loose areolar very cellular, contains numerous plasma cells

Plasma cells ovoid in shape, densely staining nucleus eccentrically placed

Loose Areolar Connective Tissue

Elastic Fibers (black)

Mast Cells: large, ovoid, dark staining

Adipose Tissue

Cytoplasm (red)

Nuclei (blue)

Brown Adipose Tissue

Two lobules separated by loose connective tissue

Contains lipid drolets that do not coalesce, reffered to as multilocular (in contrast to unilocular white adipose)

Collagen Fibers

Stained blue

Reticular fibers of lymph node not visible in this preparation (requires different stain)

Red nuclei belong to lymphocytes

Tendon

Dense, regular connective tissue composed mainly of collagen (pink)

Fibroblasts aligned in rows between fibers, elongated nuclei are visible

Tendon Fascicles

Portion of two fascicles

In one fascicle, fibroblast nuclei appear ovoid

In other fascicle, fibroblast nuclei are sectioned on side and appear dense and elongated

Cellular Peritendineum contains small blood vessels and occupies center of field

Transverse Tendon

Fibroblasts appear stellate in shape

Blood capillaries lie within connective tissue septum